Chapter 118: A Different Identity

Yuan Yao took these words to heart.

At that moment, a familiar figure appeared not far away; he struck palms with the black-haired old man, and in an instant the tremendous shockwave flung the surrounding people into the air, even causing the nearby buildings to collapse.

"That is… the Holy Sect's Grand Elder, Yan Lao." Yuan Yao recognized that familiar figure.

Yan Lao stepped back, then gathered his palm power aiming at Yun Xinghai's corpse, and said in a deep voice: "Yun Fang, hand over Gongsun Hong, or else your grandson will leave no remains!"

The black-haired old man was precisely Yun Xinghai's grandfather, Yun Fang, who is also the Grand Elder of the Tai Sui Sect.

At this moment, the Grand Elders of the two forces stood facing each other, and the atmosphere suddenly dropped to freezing point.

The pressure they emitted was everywhere, full of oppression.

Seeing this, Yun Fang's eyes turned red; he was obviously filled with hatred.

He let out a muffled laugh, seeming somewhat deranged, and in front of everyone's gaze he released Gongsun Hong's neck—just as Holy Sect's Third Elder He Cunzhen was about to manipulate the silk to take Gongsun Hong away from danger—

Suddenly, an anomaly occurred!

Then Yun Fang thrust a palm strike at Gongsun Hong's abdomen.

He Cunzhen's pupils contracted.

"Yun Fang!" Yan Lao's face instantly turned grim, and he lunged at Yun Fang to attack.

Yun Fang raised his sword to meet him, simultaneously sneering, "I didn't make him pay with his life; I only crippled his cultivation—I've already given your Holy Sect face!"

Just as the two were about to engage in a full-blown fight here—

A deep voice, coming from far and near, echoed from the center of the Heaven and Earth Domain.

"Stop!"

Those two short words carried the power to shake heaven and earth, making everyone present's head buzz involuntarily.

"Within the Heaven and Earth Domain, causing trouble is prohibited."

As soon as the words fell, the Heaven and Earth Domain's guards appeared from nowhere and neatly surrounded the area.

The lead guard captain, wearing a broadsword at his waist, had a square visage; he stepped forward several steps and said solemnly: "The Domain Lord has ordered a temporary street closure; please return to your residences."

Yan Lao's face was grim.

Yun Fang had already lifted his grandson Yun Xinghai's corpse, his gaze icy as he swept over the unconscious Gongsun Hong.

Cripple his cultivation is merely the first step.

Once we leave the Heaven and Earth Domain, he will make Gongsun Hong wish he were dead!

Yun Fang's gaze fell on Yan Lao's face; he snorted coldly: "Today's matter, I, Yun Fang, will never forget!"

Having said that, he led the Tai Sui Sect's people away.

Meanwhile, Yan Lao's expression was deep; he glanced at Gongsun Hong's direction, feeling furious and also somewhat regretful.

Our Holy Sect isn't afraid of causing trouble, but Gongsun Hong has been crippled, useless for great tasks, and will henceforth be nothing more than a discarded pawn.

"Take him back." Yan Lao said.

"Yes, Yan Lao!"

The people of the Tai Sui Sect and the Holy Sect left one after another, and the onlookers were also driven away in droves.

Yuan Yao and her youngest senior brother also returned to the Carefree Abode, reporting everything they had seen to the Sect Leader and Second Elder Zong Rao.

After listening, they said nothing.

The Sect Leader only said: "Your Master is waiting for you in the rear courtyard."

Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji exchanged a glance and took their leave of the two.

And after Yuan Yao and the two left—

Zong Rao said: "Both the Tai Sui Sect and the Holy Sect have lost a talented disciple……"

"Fallen geniuses in the cultivation world are commonplace. I've heard that this year other sects also have many new disciples and dark horse contenders." The Sect Leader spoke calmly, as if thinking of something: "Issue the order—let the Carefree Sect's disciples, in the days before the Sect Grand Competition begins, avoid clashes with other sects as much as possible."

Zong Rao nodded: "Understood."

…

Elsewhere.

Carefree Abode, rear courtyard.

When Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji arrived, they saw a silver-haired man with a cool, aloof demeanor seated in the pavilion, while Song Yan, Xiao Lingwei, Cang Li, and Xue Jin stood at his sides.

"Master! Eldest Senior Brother!" Yuan Yao called out delightedly.

Song Yan's handsome face no longer showed illness; instead it bore a healthy glow, his brows and eyes clean and gentle, and upon seeing Yuan Yao he unconsciously smiled.

"Yao Yao." He called softly.

Yuan Yao entered the pavilion and asked: "Eldest Senior Brother, have you recovered?"

Before Song Yan could answer, Qian Jueshan's voice echoed faintly: "How? You look down on your Master that much?"

"No way!" Upon hearing that, Yuan Yao hurriedly knelt beside the silver-haired man, her eyes full of filial affection, and blinked as she said: "Master is naturally omnipotent."

Qian Jueshan glanced at her and said: "Get up and sit."

Yuan Yao rose, found an empty spot nearby, and sat down.

Song Yan said: "Yao Yao, you needn't worry; I've already recovered."

"Good!" Yuan Yao exhaled in relief.

"Master, Eldest Senior Brother." Ying Wuji also entered the pavilion.

At that moment, Cang Li could no longer hold back: "Is Yun Xinghai really dead?"

Ying Wuji replied indifferently: "Yun Xinghai is dead, and Gongsun Hong has been crippled."

Hearing this, Song Yan and Xiao Lingwei's faces grew slightly complex, for they had previously interacted with those two.

Xue Jin's expression was cold.

Only Cang Li's expression was the most shocked: "They——"

Qian Jueshan seemed to know everything that happened on the outside streets, he did not comment much, he looked at Yuan Yao: "Your cultivation has greatly increased, not bad."

Yuan Yao had just been immersed in the matter of the two geniuses—one dead, one crippled—when she suddenly heard her master's words and snapped back to attention.

She suddenly thought of someone, "Master, where is the Seventh Junior Sister?"

Qian Jueshan's eyebrows twitched slightly, "From now on she is no longer your Seventh Junior Sister."

Yuan Yao's face showed surprise; just as she was about to ask why, she heard Qian Jueshan's thin lips utter a few words.

"Her identity is unusual."

Yuan Yao frowned, "Master, what exactly is going on?"

Qian Jueshan calmly explained, "I suspect she is impersonating the daughter of my old friend; that daughter of my old friend has been missing for many years, and the portrait left behind does not resemble Lu Xiangxiang either. Therefore, she likely has an unknown background and may harbor ill intentions."

Yuan Yao never expected that the female lead, Lu Xiangxiang, would actually be impersonating someone else's identity to seek out her master.

Seeing Yuan Yao stunned, Qian Jueshan said, "You need not worry about this matter; I will personally interrogate her."

"How will you interrogate her, Master?" Yuan Yao raised her head, "Master, although you have not widely announced her as your disciple, various sects have already heard rumors. If she insists she is that old friend's daughter of yours, then even if you expel her from the Carefree Sect, she might still use this to slander your reputation and the sect."

Yuan Yao guessed that Lu Xiangxiang surely wanted to find the male lead as a backer at the sect's grand competition, after which she could leave the Carefree Sect without any scruples.

And before leaving the Carefree Sect, she also wanted to poison herself.

Yuan Yao quietly gazed at her master, as well as her senior brothers and sisters.

She noticed that when it came to the matter of Lu Xiangxiang, they had lost their usual decisiveness.

If the person with an unusual identity were not Lu Xiangxiang, given Fourth Senior Brother's temperament, he would surely say at this moment: "What's the difficulty? Just kill her."

But Fourth Senior Brother remained silent, and the master and the others also fell into silence.

Yuan Yao took a deep breath, "Master, you need not interrogate Lu Xiangxiang; I have a way to make her leave the Carefree Sect."